Can Everton overcome a nightmare fixture list at start of the Premier League season?

Roberto Martínez will have plenty to think about (Picture: Getty Images)

With the release of the Premier League schedule on Wednesday, Everton fans got a glimpse of just how rough the journey to Champions League qualification could be.

The schedule makers decided to group the big guys together for Everton. In the first three matches of the season they travel to Leicester before hosting Arsenal and Chelsea. Not exactly a fantastic way to start the season.

With the season opener being Leicester’s first home game back in the top flight home, it is conceivable Everton could have zero points from the first three fixtures.

After that, things don’t get much easier. A late September Merseyside Derby is followed by a match against Manchester United. It is fair to say this will be closer to a Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United than a David Moyes one.

The one kindness comes over Christmas break. Manchester City will face Everton to open and close the Christmas period. Inside of that the Toffees will play Newcastle, Southampton, Hull City, Stoke City, and QPR. They also get an FA Cup game for their trouble.

Will Romelu Lukaku be at Everton next season (Picture: AP Photo)

February is going to be rough though. It is a month that has often been difficult for Everton, and this time around the schedule sees them facing off against Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester, and Arsenal. Again this will be where depth is key.

It is generally acknowledged that one of the underrated parts of Everton’s summer plan has to include quality depth. By the time the squad gets to this point in the season it will make all the difference.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the schedule is how it ends. A run in includes games against Aston Villa, Sunderland, and West Ham. Pretty easy, but the finale is what all football fans will be looking at.

Tottenham Hotspur will travel to Goodison Park on the final day of the season, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it could be a game that decides fourth place. Both clubs will be in contention this year, and Goodison Park will be rocking.